Hampstead residents launch ‘humanitarian appeal’ over Mansion Tax

Never mind the 600,000 extra children living in absolute poverty since the Coalition came to power, has anyone considered how the hard-pressed residents of NW3 will cope if a Mansion Tax is imposed by Ed Balls?

Former senior medical adviser to the Foreign Office Dr Harald Lipman lives on Fitzjohn’s Avenue, Hampstead — where a pied-à-terre will set you back an average of £1.25m. He told the Ham & High about the severity of the crisis which could afflict the wealthy enclave:

“This is a non-partisan, apolitical campaign, it’s humanitarian.”

Dr Lipman and fellow campaigners are appealing for signatures on a petition and have not ruled out a protest march.

He is being supported by double Oscar-winning actor-turned-MP for Hampstead and Kilburn Glenda Jackson. We know that Ms Jackson may be affected by the measure as her writer and PR consultant son Dan Hodges — with whom she shares a £2m property an hour’s drive away from her constituency — has been whingeing about the measure from the comfort of the Telegraph.

Over to Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson:

@Mr_Eugenides@alexmassie but 'it's just an ordinary 3 story townhouse with a garden in London, bought in the 70s by an Oscar winner…